'Breaking and Entering'

Rob Stafford Correspondent • Profile

Bill Stanton will be “stealing a car,” “breaking into a house,” and “luring kids” for one reason: He says Americans are in more danger than they need to be.

We’re more vulnerable, he says, because some simple rules aren’t followed. You may have seen him on the TODAY show as a paid NBC security consultant, showing how easy it is to snatch a child... or getting conned by crooked fortune tellers.

some of his methods may seem unrealistic or unorthodox, but stanton says he’s not showing us anything thieves dont already know.

On “Dateline,” see the world according to Bill, who says too many Americans don’t know a crime when they see it, and too many don’t call police when they do. And Stanton makes no apologies how he illustrates what he thinks is apathy when it comes to preventing crime.

His story begins in 1987, three years after becoming a New York City police officer, Stanton was chasing a burglar on a routine call. He fell and learned the hard way that real life cops can’t jump they way they do on TV.

Stanton left the police department, opened a private investigation agency and became a personal bodyguard. At the same time, Stanton became bouncer at a trendy nightclub. And after hobnobbing with celebrities, decided he wanted to be one himself.

He became known as “Wild Bill,” and that character that he created ended up on the cover of New York Magazine.

Rob Stafford, Dateline correspondent: How many people picked up that magazine and said, “Stanton?  How did he get on the cover of New York magazine?”

Bill Stanton: A lot of people in my side of the business, private investigators, you know, asking, “How did—how did he get on the cover?”  And my reply is "Britney Spears doesn’t have the best voice in pop music either."  (laughs) It’s the whole thing, it’s the whole game.

But in the end Stanton says it isn’t about just show business or his own fame. He says his mission is simple: to keep us alert to the hazards that are out there.

Stafford: How is television a tool in this mission?

Stanton: I am affecting more people on one segment than I would as a lifetime as a cop.

So get ready for a wild ride  with the man who calls himself 'Wild Bill Stanton.' Our hidden cameras caught everything, including a few things that surprised even Bill Stanton himself.

Breaking into cars
The shady-looking guy casing these cars in Asbury Park New Jersey isn’t a car thief but NBC security consultant Bill Stanton.

Thieves steal 1.2 million cars each year in the United States, about 1 every 25 seconds.

Stanton says one reason isn’t the lack of alarms inside the car—it’s the lack of alarms outside—people like you and me.

Your image may be that a car thief strikes at night when no one is looking. But Stanton says its easy to steal a car anytime. So we parked a car at a train station during the morning rush hour to see how people would react when Stanton broke in.

Stanton: The point is that people are watching what’s going down.  Are they gonna take action?

In other words, Stanton says most people wouldn’t call the cops even if they saw  a man breaking into a car in broad daylight.

He set out to prove his point by first showing what would happen when a potential thief is wearing business clothes.

A nicely-dressed Stanton smashes a car window and an alarm goes off.

Stafford: So, you’ve smashed in the window, you’ve disconnected the alarm. Are people seeing you right now?

Stanton: Oh, yeah.

People were watching from a train station. And even as Stanton peels out, not one of these people took action.

We should tell you that before Stanton did any of this, we notified the local police about the exercise.

Sgt. Amir Bercowicz was surprised at the lack of public response.

Sgt. Amir Bercowicz: It was just so extreme that that many people viewed something odd going on and didn’t call, which is something that I think we all have a duty to do.

But would onlookers respond any differently if Stanton casually?

A sanitation worker takes a look, mimics what Stanton to his driver is doing, and then drives off. But would a real car thief rob a car like this?

Witness: It was very noticable. I thought probably the guy left his keys inside.

Stafford: Isn’t it logical, people would think, “Hey, that’s you’re car.  You’re frustrated.  You left the keys inside.”

Stanton: You know what?  He didn’t call 911. If it was his car, you know he’d be taking action.

Stafford:  I don’t blame these guys for not confronting you because—

Stanton: Oh, I don’t blame ‘em either.

Stafford: Because, look at the size of you.  And you got a cement block.

Stanton: No—yeah, absolutely.  But, I don’t see anyone going into their cell phone. What does that take?  15 seconds?

In all, at least 15 people at this train station saw Stanton smash windows. Two people called 911.

Would people react any differently in a more populated place, like outside a diner during a busy lunch hour?

Again and again, Stanton smashed windows. And again, no calls to 911. And it gets even more frustrating when Stanton makes himself obvious with a colorful outfit.

No one does anything—but again—would a thief really behave this way?

Stafford: You look ridiculous. A car thief is not gonna look like this. 

Stanton: Well, what does a car thief look like?

Stafford: They probably assume that’s you car.

Stanton: You’re assuming.  And that’s the big mistake.

This time three men walk right by.

Stanton: What does it take to get on the phone and call 911? There’s a guy in  a straw hat and orange T-shirt.  He may be breaking into a car.  He may not.

Most people just don’t want to get involved.  And when they do—

Bystander: Wouldn’t it be cheaper to call a locksmith?

Sometimes, a simple explanation is enough to convince some there’s no theft going on here. And once, there was even a good neighbor. A man actually offers to help and gives Stanton a hammer to break a window with.

Stanton: A good Samaritan. Bad judgment. He’s not questioning anything. 

Stafford: So, this guy, not only does he not call 911.  He lends you a hand.

Stanton: That’s right.

This man told us he thought Stanton locked his keys inside.

Stanton: Did it ever cross your mind that I was breaking into this car?

Bystander: Not in broad daylight. Not with a cinderblock.

Dr. Marissa Randazzo, the former chief research psychologist with the U.S. Secret Service says what we’ve been seeing has a name: bystander apathy.

Marissa Randazzo, psychologist: I was disappointed but I wasn’t surprised that so few people intervened. If I’m looking at all of these other people and no one else seems that alarmed, maybe they’re just as confused as I am as to what’s going on or what to do.  They don’t intervene, so I don’t intervene either.

But even though many look the other way, there are others who get suspicious.

An older lady walks nearby and says her friend is calling the cops on Bill.

Bystander: She’s calling the cops on you

Stanton: I’m just trying to get into my car.

Bystander: Yah, right.

Stanton: Now that’s the attitude I like to see.  Elderly woman with a cane, she’s getting involved. She’s like, “You believe that fool?”

But it’s one woman who really takes action...

Stanton: I wave my goodbye, now I’m walking off. She gets involved, all alone by herself. She had already called 911. 

Of all the people who witnessed the break-ins at Frank’s diner, one woman is the only person to call the police. It turns out she works in law enforcement. She’s a probation officer.

Female bystander: I didn’t know what he was doing, I just thought he was really violent.

But if most people ignore a car break-in, what would your neighbors do if someone were breaking into your house?

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